Meanwhile, Back at Camelot

[Cptn Swain 0]

The mood on the command deck of Camelot Station was dour. Commander Corris Sprint looked towards his new executive officer, Commander Arden Cormoran. The short, skinny first officer had been aboard less than two months, but had already made a strong impression on Corris -- and for a change -- it seemed that Starfleet had somehow let a competent office be assigned to the station.

 

They had met briefly before the Dominion War, but this had been their first assignment together, and while he had always appreciated his former executive officer -- the effusive, boyish Commander Blair -- Arden had earned the trust and respect of most of the senior staff by making it clear he would take a hands off approach to management and let them do their jobs. A welcome policy, given that the Vice-Admiral had begun to take a more hands-on style of management, much to the consternation of Camelot’s command staff.

 

“Have we heard any report back from the Captain Varen’s group yet?” Arden said looking over a PADD. Sprint nodded, and tapped on his console to bring up the information. “The report just came in a few minutes ago. The raiders again, sir. The Vatican was able to drive them off, but they suffered minor damage. They’ve requested permission to escort the freighters to New Bajor. I forwarded the request to the Admiral.”

 

“I am sure that will please him.” Arden said dryly. “More raiders, and so close to us. Getting awfully bold don’t you think?”

 

Corris nodded. “That’s the fourth attack this week. I heard from some of the freighter captains they’re thinking about avoiding this area if they continue like this. And some are refusing to leave DS9.”

 

“Ever since the Dominion put that damn fleet in orbit of Tarawani, this whole sector has gone to hell.”

 

There was little use in disputing that particular fact, though Corris wasn’t entirely sure what could be done about it. Admiral Abronvonvich had ordered Federation vessels to widen their patrols to cover more areas, but that had caused more trouble than it solved. The Romulans and Klingons had committed their forces to patrolling as well, but they had barely a battalion at their disposal. Meanwhile a dozen of the Federation’s best ships were out on missions, and the rest were being held back in defense of the station, something both Corris and Arden, as well as the Captain had told the Admiral was unnecessary. He had reminded them, rather forcefully and repeatedly, that defense of the station and the Federation’s colonies in the area were more important. Arden finally shook his head and returned to the PADD. “Have we heard anything from the Excalibur?”

 

Corris looked up for a moment. While that question had been asked numerous times over the history of the station, it had not yet come up since they’d been dispatched on their latest mission, and it had never been asked by Arden. “Nothing of note,” Sprint responded. “Their last transmission was a routine update a few days ago. They’re continuing construction. Apparently the mining colony had oversold themselves a bit, but nothing Captain Swain thought was too big of an impediment. He did request some information from the Dominion archives. We were actually about to send out data burst in a few hours. Why?”

 

“Just curious,” Arden demurred. “I am friends with Asher.”

 

Corris nodded, and made a mental note on that subject. In his experience friendship with the commanding officer of the Excalibur was a bit of a two-edged sword, particularly in this quadrant. “Ah,” he said, putting aside his curiosity. “I’ll let you know if anything comes up.”

 

“Thanks,” Arden said warmly. “Appreciate it. Speaking of Tarawani, what have we heard about that debacle?”

 

Corris opened his mouth to respond when the relative idle of the command center erupted.

 

“Absolutely not!” Came the shrill, unmistakable voice of the stations Chief of Engineering, Akal t’Faelo. “If you think I am going to do that, for even a moment...”

 

“Listen Akal,” the second voice was equally unmistakable as that of the station’s commanding officer, Captain Alexander Calypsos. “I understand your point of view, really I do...”

 

“Then you can tell that overbearing veruul of an Enriov to -- what is the Lloanna’na term -- ah, ie... go to hell!”

 

Clearly having already had the same conversation all the way up the lift, Alexander looked ready to crawl in a hole. Sensing the need to defuse the situation, Arden glanced to Corris before speaking. “What’s the problem?”

 

Alexander opened his mouth to speak, but before he could, Akal was marching towards the two other senior officers. “Your veruul that calls himself and Admiral has ordered me to change my repair and refit priorities to give precedence over Rihannsu and Klingon flagged vessels to au lloann’na garbage scowls!”

 

Arden lifted a brow, wondering if that was literal or figurative. He nodded slowly. “I see...”

 

Akal continued unabated. “If he thinks I am going to take orders from him...”

 

“Listen Akal, I told you, just make the man happy and he’ll go away. He’s in one of his moods.”

 

“Out of the question,” her voice barely below a shout. “He’s not my commanding officer. Au Lloann’na chain of command is very clear. So unless au are prepared to give me that order on au own...”

 

Alexander sighed, making his own way over. “I told you, if you don’t do it now, he’ll just order me to do it anyway and then we’ll be right back here, only you’ll be more pissed at me.”

 

That didn’t seem to pacify the fiery Romulan engineer. While Arden had been hesitant about the nature of a joint crew, he’d quickly learned to respect Akal, as she took her work far more seriously than any number of Starfleet officers. “What’s his reasoning?” Arden asked. “I mean what is he telling you anyway?”

 

Corris for his part was remaining quiet, but watching for the aforementioned Admiral to barrage in. No doubt to speak to the Captain about the situation.

 

“Oh,” Akal said waving her hands. “Au know, something about how this is a Federation facility, so Federation vessels should be served first and foremost. He said something about making sure they were able to respond to threats quicker or something.”

 

“The Admiral,” Alexander said in a more authoritative tone. “Is concerned that Starfleet’s ability to respond properly to this ongoing raider problem is being hampered by the current arrangement of first come first serve. Sin...”

 

“He’s being a baby,” Akal said bitterly. “I think he’s just mad because I told him in no uncertain terms that this yacht was low priority and that my dockmaster would not move mountains to repair a minor issue when we have voyage repairs for other vessels to make.”

 

“Now Akal, that was months ago.”

 

She said nothing, instead preferring to stand crossed-armed, glowering at no one in particular.

 

“Well,” Arden finally said. “She’s right.”

 

“What?”

 

“He can’t order her too.”

 

“He can order me to order her, you know that. And is this really worth starting a fight with him over? I know he’s been meddling lately, but I don’t think he means anything by it.”

 

Corris frowned. His own personal experience with the Admiral’s meddling had been significantly less benign and had included a continued review in station communications protocol following the incident with the Excalibur several weeks prior.

 

“And you can tell him no.”

 

Alexander looked at Arden sidelong. “I am sorry but I am not going to get thrown in the brig for insubordination over the dockyard priority list.”

 

“Its not insubordination if the order is against treaty stipulations,” Corris spoke up to the surprise of almost everyone in the room.

 

“What do you mean?” Alexander said. “Treaty stipulations?”

 

Corris took a deep breath. “Both the Avalon Accords and the subsequent agreements between the Federation, Romulan, Klingon and Dominion governments are very specific in their intent that this station, while largely maintained and operated by the Federation and Starfleet is a free port. Additionally, the agreements between the Federation and the Romulan governments concerning Lyonesse station make it abundantly clear that Federation and Romulan vessels are to be treated with equal status at any joint-operated facility in the Gamma Quadrant.”

 

Arden tipped his head to Corris. No one was going to argue with the longest tenured member of the command staff about the complexities of the various series of agreements that governed the continued operation of Camelot and in the future Lyonnesse station. “So there you have it, you reason to tell him no.”

 

Alexander frowned. “I’ll talk to him about it.”

 

“Thank you,” Akal said, softening. “I am more than willing to discuss modifying the queue system to prioritize military vessels of all three governments, but I am not going to unilaterally make a change just because some veruul with a burr up his rear end wants me too.”

 

“I’ll see what I can do, Corris can you forward me the relevant sections you mentioned?”

 

Corris nodded, already working on it. Arden was continually impressed by the man’s efficiency.

 

“Now,” Alexander said, clearly exhausted. “Unless anyone else wants to start a slap fight with the bear, I’ll be in my office thinking of all the ways to end my career.”

 

Akal rolled her eyes and the others shrugged. After the captain had headed off to his office on the subdeck below the command center, Akal and the two human commanders remained, silently wondering who would speak first.

 

Unsurprisingly, it was Arden. “Give him some slack Akal,” he said gently. “He’s in a no-win situation.”

 

She remained unmoved. “Maybe if he stood up to that bully of an admiral,” her voice was tinged with a mixture of annoyance and genuine bile. “We wouldn’t have to have these sorts of arguments. It’s his station after all.”

 

“Did Admiral Day and Captain Sorehl have that kind of a relationship?”

 

Arden’s question caught Corris off guard, but after a moment he shook his head. “No. Admiral Day let Captain Sorehl manage the day to day functions. He was more focused on the bigger picture.”

 

“Eh,” Arden said, “the old bear’s chaffing behind his desk I think.”

 

Corris remained silent and continued working. Arden took his silence for what it was and returned to Akal, who was still rather perturbed. “Listen, if he comes down to your office and starts pushing your buttons, just tell him you’re busy. Don’t antagonize him. Call for me if you need too.”

 

“This would never happen on a Galae station.”

 

“Oh,” Arden said cattily despite himself. “Would the Admiral just have you thrown out an airlock if you didn’t do what he told you to when he told you to?”

 

She rolled her eyes. “We’re not Kling’hannsu fvadt.”

 

He smirked. “I was teasing. Anyway, I suspect mother bear will be along soon to discuss the issue with the Captain, so you’d best run along.”

 

The Romulan rolled her eyes before nodding. “Very well,” she said. “And hann’yyo Corris. As always au continue to be a credit to au race.”

 

Corris smiled bashfully. “Anytime.”